FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 73, NO. 3 



Figure IS.—PeTvaeus (Litopenaeus) schmitti. Thelycum, 950 mm 

 cl, off Paramaribo, Surinam. 



XIII serves to receive the sperm masses projecting 

 through the ruptured anterodorsal bulges of the 

 compound spermatophore, a function similar to 

 that of paired concavities present on the same 

 sternite in P. stylirostris. 



Disposition of the Compound 

 Spermatophore on the Thelycum 



At mating, the compound spermatophore is 

 applied to the thelycum with the anterior part of 

 the geminate body lying on the mesial margins of 

 the coxal plates of the third pereopods, in close 

 proximity to the gonopores (Figure 13A). Basally, 

 the wings extend over (ventrally) the coxal plates, 

 their posterior lobes embrace laterally the sperm 

 masses emerging from the sacs, and are attached 

 caudal to the tonguelike lamella of sternite XIII, 

 where they are almost contiguous; the 

 anteromesial margins of the wings, however, are 

 free, leaving a passageway between them and the 

 body of the female, through which protrudes 

 gelatinous substance. The wings are affixed dis- 

 tally to sternite XIII, with the twisted processes 



turned strongly posteromesiad and hidden by the 

 articular (dorsal) membranes of the corresponding 

 fourth pereopod. The sperm masses which emerge 

 through the ruptured anterodorsal bulges of the 

 spermatophore are lodged within the concavity 

 roofed by the lamella of sternite XIII and floored 

 by the strong ridge projecting from sternite XII. 

 The sperm-filled concavity is lined by the gela- 

 tinous substance which surrounded the sperm 

 while in the sac. Caudally, the geminate body ex- 

 tends to the posterior part of sternite XIV, where 

 the posteromesial portions of the flanges meet on 

 the sagittal plane and form a vertical shelf that is 

 situated between the two thelycal protuberances. 

 The broad anterior parts of the paired blades and 

 the lateral |(anterior) portions of the flanges are 

 attached to sternite XIII and XIV successively, 

 pressing against the dorsal plates. The broad flaps 

 borne by the flanges conspicuously flank the gem- 

 inate body, and the glutinous material-adhering 

 to their mesial surfaces-enlarge, extending along 

 the sides of the geminate body. The dorsal plates 

 fuse in a single mass which is directly applied to 

 sternites XIII and XIV, and which anteriorly 

 abuts the indurate gelatinous substance envelop- 

 ing the sperm masses within the concavity of 

 sternite XIII (Figure 13C). 



Several years ago, during the course of field 

 work in Caribbean waters, I examined a few 

 females carrying complete spermatophores as well 

 as a few others bearing only those elements of the 

 spermatophores which become affixed to sternite 

 XIII. The latter specimens indicate that after the 

 compound spermatophore is attached to the 

 female, the geminate body is severed leaving 

 behind only the wings and paired masses of sperm. 

 Remarks on the rupture of the spermatophore in 

 P. setiferus, which occurs in about the same 

 manner as it does in P. schmitti, are presented on 

 p. 481. 



Material 



Many specimens examined by me are recorded 

 in Perez Farfante (1969). Two females with sper- 

 matophores attached studied during the course of 

 this investigation are in the lots listed below. 



COLOMBIA. 6 cf 109 , USNM, off Tucuracas, 

 Peninsula de la Guajira, 22 m, 6 October 1965, 

 Oregon stn. 5674. 



SURINAM. 19, USNM, E of Braams Point, 22 

 m, 30 May 1957, Coquette stn. 155. 



478 



